Play Therapy
Learn more about
Tracy and attend her
classes.
How
Play Therapy Works
Children
have an intuitive drive for healing
and my role is to support your child during his/her process. I invite children to engage with their life experience at their own
developmental
level through the symbolic language of play. Play is the most
natural
medium of expression for children and often allows them to communicate
what they have difficulty saying with words.
When using play therapy, I may invite your child into a
play
room designed to provide a safe environment in which to address
emotions, beliefs, concerns, memories, wishes, and relationships. In order to not interfere with your child’s journey, I will
generally not coach, direct, or quiz your child in his/her play. Your child directs the play and will be free to choose just about
anything he/she wants to do in the play room.
There
are times when I may invite your child to participate in activities of my
selection. I may choose to
offer structured activities to assist with education, discussion, and
healing as it fits with the child’s developmental level, interests, and
progress in treatment. Even
during these times, I will pay close attention to the direction in which
your child seems to want to travel. While
I may offer specific opportunities for your child to grow, I believe in your
child’s own inner wisdom and will not attempt to coerce, force, or shame
your child into completing the activities I have planned.
Benefits
of Play Therapy 
Play
therapy can help children become accountable for their choices, learn
appropriate behaviors, understand their emotions and express them
appropriately, learn problem-solving skills, develop acceptance and respect
for themselves and others, and learn appropriate social skills.
Play
therapy can also assist parents with understanding their children’s
emotions and behaviors, build a more fulfilling relationship with their
children, and implement effective limit setting techniques.
Research
demonstrates effectiveness of play therapy in addressing issues such as
attention difficulties, attachment disruptions, aggression, poor social
skills, anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, bereavement, and many other
challenges.
What Happens in a Session
In
the play room, children are allowed to choose their own story line, toys,
and discussion topics. A child
may play with the dollhouse, guiding the figures to move through a typical
day of waking, eating, going to school, and going to bed. Or, a child
may use cars to crash into one another. Children may also paint, feed a baby, or choose a game to
play.
I
observe and make comments until I am invited to play. When invited, I act out
my role as directed by the child while simultaneously watching for themes in the play which relate to
the child’s life experiences. I
look for indications of the child’s perspective, skills,
wishes, and fears and then use this information to guide the child through
learning and healing within the stories he/she creates.
My hope is that this page
serves to assist you in making the decisions right for you family.
Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns that you may
have.
Tracy L. Cash, LCSW, RPT
Sacred
Mountain Healing Center,
LLC
